What YA' Reading: AANHPI Authors

May is Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. This group includes people from many different cultural backgrounds such as - but by no means limited to - those with Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Pakistani, Samoan, Thai, Tongan and Vietnamese ancestry. It includes about 50 ethnic groups that account for more than 100 languages.

As with many ethnic groups, those under the AANHPI umbrella have historically been stereotyped and misrepresented in literature and other media. One of the best ways to dispel these preconceptions is to read books written by authors from these groups. Their writing will more accurately depict or draw from the cultures and lived experiences that shaped their voices than outsiders' writings. Here are some new books to check out to explore AANHPI authors.

The Floating World by Axie Oh

Former soldier Sunho lives in the Under World, a land of darkness and shady activity. He has no memory of his past but a vague recollection of his brother. 

In a tranquil mountain village, Ren lives with her adoptive family and performs with her acrobatic troupe. When a demon attacks her village, Ren discovers a secret power that allows her to kill the monster – but not in time to stop it from wounding her family. 

Seeking a cure, Ren sets off to find the demon's origins. However, assassins are trailing her and Sunho is among them.

"Oh delivers whirlwind romance and adrenaline-fueled adventure culminating in a darkly mysterious fantasy series starter." - Publishers Weekly

If you're into romantasy, this tale of star-crossed lovers should not be missed. If fantasy isn't your jam, but the romance is,  Axie Oh has real-world romances ASAP and XOXO you will like, especially if you're into K-Pop. Conversely, if the fantasy appeals to you, but not the romance, check out her other fantasy novel The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea. Like The Floating World, it's a retelling of a Korean legend. What's that? You want romance/sci-fi? Then check out Oh's book Rebel Seoul. 

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

Legend says seadragon eggs, or "dragonfruit," can undo a person's "greatest sorrow" for a price. Hanalei knows this is true. As a child, her father stole one meant to heal Princess Oliana and instead healed Hanalei. Days later he died leaving Hanalei alone and in exile after their flight. 

She finally returns to Tamarind as a young adult. Her ex-best friend and Oliana's son, Prince Samahtitamahenele, asks Hanalei to help him obtain a dragonfruit for Oliana, but doing so may result in his death.

"Richly textured worldbuilding dazzles from start to finish, taking inspiration from Pacific Island mythology and riffing on well-loved elements from the YA fantasy canon." - Publishers Weekly

"Lucier has an incredible talent for creating strong relationships inside a large cast of characters, bringing Tamarind and its matriarchal politics to life while layering the family dynamics with love and a painful history. Lucier grew up on Guam, and her love for the Pacific Islands and its diversity shines through while referencing the damage exoticism and colonialism have wrought on the region." - School Library Journal

If you enjoy this one, check out Lucier's other fantasy novels Year of the Reaper and Isle of Blood and Stone.

They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran

Vietnamese American Nhung (Noon) and their mother live on their shrimp boat in Mercy, Louisiana, where a strange red algae bloom has mutated the wildlife in the wake of a deadly hurricane. Noon's father and brother are missing and presumed dead after the storm. 

While Noon is determined to leave Mercy, mom refuses sure that Noon's father and brother are "out there somewhere, reincarnated and waiting for us to rescue them." They survive by catching and selling mutated sea creatures to Jimmy, Mercy's ad hoc ruler. When people start vanishing, including a researcher studying the algae, Jimmy threatens to repossess the boat unless they find whoever - or whatever - is behind the disappearances. Along for the hunt is Jimmy's daughter Covey, who is also looking for a missing family member.

"Fluid prose conjures surreal and harrowing atmosphere through which Tran weaves a pulsing-pounding climate disaster thriller." –Publishers Weekly

Lovers of scary stories will enjoy this book, which merges climate disaster, body horror, and the tension between cultural expectations and individual identities. If you like this book, check out Tran's other horror novel She is a Haunting, The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura by Waka T. Brown (who grew up in Topeka) and The Girl From the Well by Rin Chupeco.